Another chapter, and the plot finally thickens! It seems so boring to see each one uploaded since I've already been there and gone, but I hope you like how it's finally getting into it a bit more. Once more, here is the full description.
"An original story based after the events of Portal 2, set in the dark spaces below Cleveland, Ohio.
Old blueprints of the Borealis mentioned a branch set up in Cleveland, but you never paid much attention to the rumors that people were disappearing. When you are captured by GLaDOS and reluctantly become one of her many test subjects, it's at first hard to see the big picture. An old enemy of Aperture has returned, and is attempting to break in. The worst part is that you think they have help from a fellow conspirator on the inside."
Thank you for the reviews, StillAliveDoingScience and JenovaII. I hope you enjoy this second chapter further.
Chapter 2: A Legion Below
It must have been thirty minutes before you saw light up ahead, and with that you gained your fourth wind. Approaching slowly, you woke up your camera and raised it with your free hand to snap pictures of the upcoming platform. This one looked a lot better maintained than the other, and it was easy to read the sign that displayed 'APERTURE' over the seats. A single doorway led out of the station from the middle of the crescent platform. The logo above the door made you blink and raise your camera to snap a photo. Had someone been down here and stenciled in the logo of that science company from the game by mistake? Perhaps an avid Portal fan, much like yourself, had come down and seen the signs, then couldn't resist making the joke. At least there was a ladder upwards, you mused as you stumbled forward to the bottom rungs.
The first thing you did after you climbed up was to stumble forward and collapse in a seat. The seat fortunately held firm, and you shrugged out of the backpack to stretch out and rest your aching legs. Regardless of what was past those doors, you needed a rest. Unzipping your backpack, you flicked off your flashlight and placed it in then pulled out a large bottle of water and a bag of crackers. It took a little while to hydrate yourself and eat. As you ate, you thought you glimpsed a flash of blue. However, when you looked around the empty station there was nothing faintly blue besides the logo over the door.
A shiver of unease made your shoulders hunch up, and you swung your shoes back to the floor. Pulling your backpack straps over your arms, you patted your camera and stood up to face the unknown. On seeing the door, however, you immediately lowered the backpack and began to rummage through it. The clippers were needed for the thick and shiny lock keeping it shut. You grinned as you pulled out the thick clippers and a pair of work gloves, the familiar adrenaline flowing. Now this was more like danger. While you certainly didn't like those occasions when the police almost caught you and your fellow explorers, the surge of sensory perception was a high on its own, and surprisingly addictive.
The broken lock dangled uselessly once you finished, the clipped part showing obvious signs of forced entry. Glancing around, you pulled it out and stowed it under one of the seats. Then you pushed at the door, wincing at the loud squeak. It obviously hadn't been opened in at least years.
On the other side the corridor had a flat ceiling, which was a large change compared to the curved, tunnel-like walls of the rest of the subway. Grubby panels made up the walls and ceiling, and the floor was checkered. The lights were still pretty dim, but it seemed slightly cleaner than the platform. As you entered, you let the door swing shut behind you.
Immediately, a screeching siren began to wail, forcing you to cover your ears. Panic flared and you immediately turned, but something caught at your backpack as your leg was caught in a steely grip. You attempted to turn and pull out, but all you could see was your backpack as feet pounded in the distance. Then you glanced down, confused and scared as you noticed the claw gripping your ankle tightly. With a flash of inspiration you pulled your arms out of the backpack straps, letting whatever had caught it hold on as you knelt to tug at the claw holding your leg. Unfortunately, as much as you pulled at the grip the robotic arm didn't budge. It must have hydraulics, you thought as you silently swore. Whatever held your backpack lowered it to the ground, and now that you could turn more it was easy to see that it was gripped in another, identical claw. What was going on?
All this time the footsteps had been growing closer, and your heart sank into your stomach as two people rounded the corner. The man and woman, while of disparate heights, both wore deep grey jumpsuits with white zippers and trim. The Aperture logo and a four-digit number graced the left breast pocket, and their long-fall boots whisked with each quick step. No way, you thought. This couldn't be happening, and you probably just hit your head on the shuttle back there and passed out. Male Specimen A seemed to be some sort of bodybuilder, all beefy muscle and a crew cut, while Female Specimen B was wiry and tough, with closely-bobbed hair and a no-nonsense expression. As they approached you gave another futile tug at the claw with one hand, the other holding your camera to your chest so it wouldn't swing around. Then their hands gripped you tight, hoisting you up to stand uncomfortably between them. Both of them were strong, even the woman, and you noted that they were probably a lot more athletic than you. Score one for Aperture, if it really existed. Although you weren't so sure you wanted it to exist now.
"Person apprehended," the woman called up to the ceiling. The claws obligingly let go of both ankle and backpack, retracting into the open panels as you craned your neck to watch. Then the panels slid back into place and they began to tow you forward.
"Wait!" Your yelp made them pause, glancing at you. "My backpack. I need it." No matter what was going on, you didn't want to leave it behind.
The man gave a small shrug, and the two of them moved you back a yard so he could pick it up in one beefy hand. "No promises that your stuff will make it, though. She could destroy some or all of it." You were forced forward again, and stumbled slightly before you caught the rhythm. The boots gave them both a height advantage, and there was no way you could fight the two of them off, even if you left your backpack behind.
Unpleasantness made your stomach roil as they led you through back hallways and past empty offices with outdated desktops. It was clear that you were either going to be locked up or meet the person in charge, and either option had you in seriously hot water. Hopefully you wouldn't be charged with breaking and entering, as having an arrest record would really hurt your job prospects. However, dying via deadly neurotoxin didn't seem like a good idea either. Given the choice, you'd take the police any day.